Constructed from pearly white Istrian stone in 1868, the Serbian Orthodox church has a typical Byzantine style, its large central dome flanked by four hemispherical cupolas. Built by wealthy Serb ship owners, it has an unmistakably Eastern look and is an important repository of Serbian culture. Inside, it is richly decorated with glittering mosaics and 19th-century gold and silver icons from Russia.

　　It remains an active church, serving Trieste's Serbian community, which is estimated as between 10,000 and 18,000 people and is the city's largest minority.